ACTIVE SHOOTER AWARENESS Classrm Infrmatin Guide Active Shter incidents are becming mre frequent in ur cuntry and n ur cllege and university campuses. Shuld such an incident ccur, the instructr is asked t assist in keeping ur students safe. There will be panic and cnfusin during such an incident. Hwever, it is imprtant t remain calm and fllw the listed guidelines belw. These guidelines can be cmpleted in any rder r by any designee assisting faculty in securing the classrm. GET OUT IF YOU DECIDE TO FLEE, MAKE SURE YOU CAN DO IT SAFELY AND HAVE AN ESCAPE ROUTE AND PLAN IN MIND. USE THE PLAN YOU CREATED IN YOUR CLASSROOM SAFETY BROCHURE. CALL OUT CALL PUBLIC SAFETY AT 704-637-4000 AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AT 911. HIDE OUT GET EVERYONE TO LIE DOWN AWAY FROM WINDOWS OR FIELDS OF FIRE SILENCE CELL PHONES, CLOSE BLINDS, TURN OFF LIGHTS, STAY ON FLOOR, AND DO NOT PEEK OUT DOORS OR WINDOWS. SPREAD OUT. HUDDLING TOGETHER MAKES FOR A BETTER TARGET. IF IN A HALLWAY, LOOK FOR AN UNLOCKED ROOM TO HIDE IN. KEEP OUT LOCK CLASSROOM DOORS IF POSSIBLE, BARRICADE WITH DESKS OR TABLES. DO NOT PULL FIRE ALARMS OR EVACUATE ROOMS OR BUILDINGS UNLESS DIRECTED BY EMERGENCY PERSONNEL. ONCE SECURE, DO NOT OPEN DOOR UNTIL ALL CLEAR IS GIVEN BY EMERGENCY PERSONNEL OR CATAWBALERTS. FOLLOW DIRECTIONS FROM CATAWBALERTS. TAKE OUT CONFRONTING SHOOTER SHOULD BE CONSIDERED THE VERY LAST RESORT. IF THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO OTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR ESCAPE OR SURVIVAL. YOU MUST BE COMMITTED TO THIS ACTION. Additinal infrmatin n Active Shter Respnse can be fund at www.catawba.edu/emergency.
There is a Firearms/Shting Incident Prcedure fr Campus Active Shter NOTE: An individual must use his/her wn discretin during an active shter event as t whether he/she chses t run t safety r remain in place. Hwever, best practices fr an active shter event are listed belw. The ptential fr a schl shting exists n every campus thrughut the United States. Althugh the pssessin f firearms n r arund the campus is prhibited, previus natinal shtings dictate the imprtance and need fr a respnse plan. In the event yu bserve an individual with any type f weapn n the campus, immediately cntact Public Safety at ext. 4000 r (704)-637-4000. Yu may als call Salisbury Plice by dialing 911. Remember if yu dial 911 frm a Catawba Cllege landline yu must dial 9-911. DEVELOP A SURVIVAL MINDSET Awareness and Preparatin: Take time t understand yur surrundings and envirnment befre an emergency ccurs. Ask yurself, What if? questins and develp a plan. IN AN ACTIVE SHOOTER EMERGENCY Make a decisin, trusting yur instincts, t take actin t prtect yurself t survive the situatin. Yu generally will have three ptins: Get away: Can yu safely escape? Hide: Is there a gd place t hide? Cnfrnt: Will yu take ut the shter? GETTING OUT If yu can and yu deem it safe, get ut and get t a safe place. Yu will have t rely partially n instinct. Leave belngings behind, but take yur cell phne if it is handy. HIDING IN A SAFE PLACE Find a hidden lcatin. Find prtectin behind furniture if pssible. Find a rm that lcks if yu can. If pssible, clse and lck the utside dr t the rm. Blckade the dr with furniture r ther heavy bjects. D nt use yur bdy t barricade the dr. Clse the blinds, turn ff the lights, remain quiet, silence cell phnes, spread ut away frm ther individuals, and mve behind available cver. Stay n the flr, away frm drs r windws, and d nt peek ut t see what may be happening. D nt respnd t peple kncking n the dr after it has been secured. The individual culd be the shter r the shter may have taken that persn hstage. Make a plan with thers in the rm abut what yu will d if the shter enters. Make a ttal cmmitment t actin and act as a team with thers. D whatever is necessary t survive the situatin. If pssible and safe t d s, reprt the lcatin f the assailant. 7
IF OUTSIDE WHEN A SHOOTING OCCURS Drp t the grund immediately, face dwn as flat as pssible. If within 15-20 feet f a safe place r cver, duck and run t it. Mve r crawl away frm gunfire, trying t utilize any bstructins between yu and the gunfire. Remember that many bjects f cver may cnceal yu frm sight, but may nt be bulletprf. When yu reach a place f relative safety, stay dwn and d nt mve. D nt peek r raise yur head in an effrt t see what may be happening. Wait and listen fr directins frm Public Safety and/law enfrcement persnnel. IF SUSPECT AN ACTIVE SHOOTER ENTERS YOUR OFFICE OR CLASSROOM Try t remain calm. Dial 911; leave the line pen s the dispatcher can listen t what is taking place. If there is n pprtunity fr escape r hiding, it may be pssible t negtiate with the shter. Attempting t verpwer the shter with frce shuld be cnsidered the last resrt. HELP OUT Warn thers. Help thers escape. Keep thers away frm the danger area. Help the injured. Help thers stay calm CALLING FOR HELP If safe t d s, call the apprpriate authrities. D nt assume that smene else has reprted the incident. On Campus: call the Office f Public Safety at (704)637-4000. Or Dial 911. Be persistent; phnes may be jammed. Calmly identify yurself and yur exact lcatin. Remain calm and answer the dispatcher s questins. The dispatcher is trained t btain the necessary and required infrmatin fr an apprpriate emergency respnse. If safe t d s, stp and take time t get a gd descriptin f the criminal. Nte height, weight, sex, race, apprximate age, clthing, methd and directin f travel, and his/her name, if knwn. If the suspect is entering a vehicle, nte the license plate number, make and mdel, clr, and utstanding characteristics. All f this takes nly a few secnds and is f the utmst help t the respnding fficers. Althugh yu are nt expected t knw all f the answers, answer them t the best f yur ability. Even thugh yu may think the questining is wasting valuable time, the infrmatin yu prvide will enable Public Safety dispatchers t dispatch fficers and ther emergency persnnel safely and effectively. During yur call t authrities, yu will be asked questins, such as: What exactly is happening and hw d yu knw? Is it still happening? Where is the suspect nw? What was his/her last knwn directin f travel? Are there any wunded and hw many? What is the specific lcatin f ccurrence? What types f weapns were used? Describe the weapn/s r ther dangerus bject/s if pssible, and any visible ammunitin: Rifle 8
Shtgun Handgun: revlver r autmatic Ammunitin: Describe type, amunt and type f cntainer (metal bx, cardbard bx, backpack pckets and thers) Knife r ther dangerus weapns. Explsive device: Give specific descriptin. Were any shts fired? Describe the sund and the number f shts fired. D yu knw wh the suspect/s is? If yes, identify them and prvide any backgrund knwledge yu may have. WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT ARRIVES When law enfrcement reaches yu, d nt run at them r make sudden mvements. The pririty f the first respnders will be t identify the shter. Law enfrcement will need t ensure that yu are nt the shter. D nt scream, yell, pint, r wave yur arms. D nt hld anything in yur hands that culd be mistaken fr a weapn (including cell phnes). Be quiet and cmpliant. Shw the fficers yur empty hands and fllw their instructins. Give the number f shters. Give the lcatin and physical descriptin f the shter. Give the number and types f weapns. When it is safe t d s, yu will be given instructins as t hw t safely exit yur lcatin. IN THE EVENT THAT THERE ARE HOSTAGES Call Public Safety r 911 and be prepared t give the fllwing infrmatin: Identify hstage lcatin in building r area Number f assailants, if knwn Number f hstages, if knwn Identity f assailants, if knwn Any descriptin f assailants and weapns Any demands made by the assailant/s If yu are at a distance, mve away frm the lcatin t a safer area. If yu can d s safely, evacuate area t a safer lcatin. If pssible prvide the abve infrmatin t a Public Safety r Law Enfrcement fficer nce yu are in a secure lcatin. 9
Active Shter FAQ What steps is Catawba Cllege taking t prvide safe classrms? While n institutin can guarantee abslute safety in the classrm r n campus grunds, Catawba Cllege has taken the issue seriusly and wrks cntinuusly t imprve the safety f the Cllege s camps and classrms. The guidelines in the FAQ are just ne step tward a safer educatinal envirnment. Actins the Cllege has taken include: 1. Use f an emergency telephne and text messaging system knwn as CatawbAlerts. 2. Use f the Catawba Cllege website t ntify the campus f an emergency. 3. Ability t utilize, if apprpriate, the lcal media fr ntificatin purpses. 4. Regular testing f CatawbAlerts and the call bx system n campus. 5. Creatin f a Threat Assessment Team (TAT) t cllect infrmatin abut pssible threats and t recmmend actins based n the determined threat. 6. Training f the Public Safety fficers and the Emergency Respnse Grup members n hw t respnd t an active shter incident. In the event f an emergency, what is my respnsibility? Many experts in this field believe that, alng with campus fficials, faculty are imprtant partners in prviding fr the safety f their classrm students in the event f an emergency, just as they versee student safety during classrm and labratry activities. All faculty shuld anticipate and plan hw they wuld ensure the safety f their students in the event f an active shter in the building. While anticipating every detail f an emergency is impssible, by planning ahead, faculty can greatly imprve their students and their wn dds f surviving the emergency. N matter hw thrugh yur plan, all emergencies require clse bservatin f events, analysis f the situatin, and yur best judgment given what yu knw at the mment. In the event f gunfire in my classrm building, shuld I evacuate my class, r shuld we stay where we are and barricade the dr? Statistically, the mre distance yu place between yurself and smene firing a weapn, the higher the prbability that yu will escape injury. Therefre, if yu hear gunfire, yur first curse f actin shuld be t evacuate yurself and yur students away frm the danger if yu can safely d s. Yu shuld nly cnsider sheltering in place r elsewhere within the building if evacuatin is nt pssible. Wuld lcking all classrms during classes deter a shter? 1. Catawba Cllege classrms have lcking drs. If yu wish t engage the lck while teaching yur class, yu shuld d s, but relying slely n lcks fr safety has tw fundamental prblems: Mst classrm drs have a glass windw, and many mdern firearms are pwerful enugh t sht thrugh even tempered r safety glass. A shter culd then easily unlck the dr r reach victims thrugh the glass. What shuld I cnsider in making my emergency plan? 1. Identify the type f emergency fr which yu are planning. This FAQ is designed t help yu plan fr an active shter emergency. 2. Fr an active shter situatin, select and becme familiar with an area where yu culd mst likely evacuate yur class. Yur evacuatin site shuld be apprximately 500 yards (five ftball fields) away frm the incident. Ensure that the site will be pen, available, and accessible during yur class hurs. Als select at least ne alternative site and becme familiar with it t. 3. Becme familiar with all f the emergency exit rutes in yur classrm building. Determine at least tw rutes that yu culd take t evacuate yurself and yur class frm the building. Remain aware day-t-day f what is happening n these rutes. Fr example, maintenance wrk culd temprarily hinder access t a rute. 4. Althugh sheltering in place shuld be yur last recurse, als plan fr the pssibility that yu and yur class may nt be able t leave yur building. Select a shelter area in the building that will affrd yu the best cncealment and cver. If yu select yur classrm, identify heavy items in the rm that culd be used t barricade the dr. Cnsider whether the barricade wuld be visible thrugh a windw in the dr and therefre indicate t an active shter that pssible victims are just beynd the dr. Is there an interir rm withut windws but with a lck int which yu culd mve yur class and pssibly g unnticed by an active shter? What ther steps shuld I take t prepare in advance fr an emergency? 1. Yu are encuraged t take rll at the start f each class. Prepare t take the attendance list with yu in the event f an evacuatin. Yur attendance recrd will aid rescue persnnel in determining wh may still be in the building. 2. Prgram yur cell phne t speed dial 911 fr Salisbury Plice and 704-637-4000 fr campus Public Safety. 3. Rehearse what yu will need t tell an emergency dispatcher, including yur name, what is happening, yur lcatin, whether injured persns are with yu, and what yu bserved while yu were evacuating. 4. Once yu have develped yur emergency classrm plan, advise yur students that in the event f an emergency, yu have a plan. If there is an emergency, yu will instruct the students n what t d. Letting yur students knw that yu have planned fr an emergency will give them cnfidence in yu and increase the likelihd that they will fllw yur directins. 5. Cnsider leaving yur wn persnal cell phne n during class in rder t receive texts r calls alerting yu t an emergency by the CatawbAlert system. 6. Walk yur evacuatin rute peridically t make sure yu are up t date n yur safety ptins. I still d nt feel cmfrtable; what is my next step t receive mre infrmatin? Faculty are encuraged t cntact the Directr f Public Safety r the Emergency Respnse Grup if they wuld like additinal infrmatin r wuld like t discuss Key Actins 1. Evacuate away frm the danger and remain calm: Fllw the instructins f a faculty/staff member r emergency persnnel. Evacuate t the nearest exit. Ntify anyne yu may encunter t exit the building immediately. Evacuate t an area at least 500 yards frm the danger. Stay tgether. We need t get a head cunt. Once yu reach an area f safety, call 911 r 704-637-4000. Ntify the plice/public safety fficer f yur grup size and lcatin and a cntact number. Remain in the reprted lcatin until yu are released by emergency persnnel. 2. If yu cannt evacuate, remain calm and: Lck r barricade the dr place anything heavy in frnt f it. If the dr pens ut and cannt be barricaded, evacuate r mve t anther rm. Stay ut f sight away frm windws and drs. Turn ff the lights. Remain quiet. Once secure, never pen the dr. Have ne persn call 911 r 704-637-4000. Place a large nte r article f clthing ut r n the windw t let emergency persnnel knw yu are there. D nt identify that the rm is ccupied fr anyne inside the building. 3. If the shter enters yur rm: Be prepared t attempt t vertake the individual with greater numbers. If the individual is vertaken, hld that persn dwn. Call 911 r 704-637-4000 and reprt the situatin.
Preplanning: Reprting an emergency Calling 911 r 704-637-4000 in an emergency r under stress will be difficult. Preprgram yur phne fr ne-tuch dialing. Receiving Emergency Ntificatins (CatawbAlerts) Faculty member has the nly cell phne n in class. Selected individuals have their cell phnes n in class. The entire class have their cell phnes n. Keep attendance fr each class In an emergency, yur attendance sheets may be used t identify wh was in the building fr accuntability purpses wh is accunted fr, wh is missing? Evacuatin: Have an evacuatin rute planned Psted evacuatin plans are n each flr f a building. Becme familiar with these rutes. Evacuate t the nearest exit. Knw yur destinatin Identify tw buildings/safe areas yu can flee t that are at least 500 yards away frm the danger zne. Dn t take persnal prperty Leave persnal prperty behind as carrying items with yu can slw yu dwn. D nt stp An evacuatin takes secnds if yu d nt stp. As yu evacuate, tell thers that yu encunter t evacuate but d nt engage in discussin r prlng the time it takes t exit away frm the danger. Cnsider the windws If yu cannt make it t an exit, cnsider ging thrugh a windw. D the windws pen? What flr are yu n? Are there bushes r mulch that can break yur fall? Stay tgether Keep yur grup tgether until dismissed by emergency persnnel. Special Cnsideratins D nt use the fire alarm t evacuate D nt pull the fire alarm in an attempt t have peple evacuate the building. Sheltering in place: Lcking the dr Des the dr have a lck? Is the lck functinal? D yu need a key t activate the lck? D yu have that key? Des the dr pen in r ut? Drs that pen int the classrm can be barricaded with heavy bjects inside the rm. Drs that pen ut int the hallway cannt be barricaded. Recnsider evacuatin r mve t anther rm. If nt pssible, attempt t tie the dr clsed with an extensin crd, belt, r anything that can be wrapped abut the dr handle. Barricade the dr If the dr des nt have a lck, place heavy items inside f the rm in frnt f the dr. If there are n heavy bjects, cnsider wedging the dr r ging t anther lcatin. D nt stand in frnt f the dr r windws Stand ut f sight; d nt stand in frnt f drs r windws. Avid huddling tgether in a mass. Use the walls and heavy bjects such as desks, tables, and filing cabinets t hide behind. Stay Quiet Turn ff lights, silence cell phnes, turn ff cmputers, etc. Call fr help Have ne persn call 911 and advise them f yur lcatin and the number f peple in the rm. Unsecuring yur lcatin: NEVER pen the dr Once yu are secure, yu shuld never pen the dr fr any reasn. Respnding emergency persnnel will pen the dr fr yu. Preplanning: My Plan I have prgrammed my cell phne t dial 911 and 704-637-4000. I have implemented a plan t receive CatawbAlerts while I am in class. I have advised my class that I have an emergency plan and that they are t fllw my instructins shuld an emergency ccur. Ntes Evacuatin: I have reviewed the building evacuatin plans. I have identified my clsest and next clsest exits, and I rutinely check the rute t these exits fr bstructins. I have identified tw lcatins away frm the danger area t which I will take my class. They are and. Ntes Sheltering in place: I knw whether r nt the rms where I teach can lck and if I have the means t lck them. I have identified a way t barricade, tie, r secure drs that d nt lck. I will nt pen the dr nce it is secured. I knw where the blind spts are frm the windw in my classrm dr. I knw where a safe rm is clse t my classrm ne that lcks, has n windws in the dr, and is incnspicuus. Catawba Cllege Classrm Safety FAQ and Planning Cnsideratins This frequently asked questins (FAQ) brchure has been develped t prvide the Catawba Cllege faculty with necessary infrmatin n emergency planning and classrm safety. It is ur hpe that these answers will help yu begin yur individual emergency planning. Shuld yu wish t participate in emergency training, please cntact the Emergency Respnse Grup. Mr. Shane Flwe Directr f Public Safety seflwe@catawba.edu 704-637-4335 Mrs. Tnia Black-Gld Chair, Emergency Respnse Grup tblackg@catawba.edu 704-637-4393 Catawba Cllege Public Safety 704-637-4000